Mendez was right – Amazon is coming to Brownsville

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Former Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez was correct when he announced last Friday that Amazon was to build a distribution center in his city.

Mendez said he had spoken with an attorney who handled the negotiation.

Today, Amazon confirmed the news. The e-commerce giant announced it plans to build a 62,000-square-foot delivery station in Brownsville, located at 1910 FM 511. The company said launch plans for the facility are in the very early stages, with construction starting this month.

“This delivery station will allow us to better serve customers in Brownsville and the surrounding area,” said Jessica Breaux, senior manager of economic development for Amazon. “We’re grateful for our partnership with the City of Brownsville and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation and look forward to sharing more details about this facility in the future.”

According to the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, Amazon packages are shipped to a delivery station from neighboring Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers, loaded into delivery vehicles and delivered to customers. In a press release, the group said delivery stations power the last mile of Amazon’s order process and help speed up deliveries.

“This is not just good news—it’s a clear signal of where we’re headed,” said Gilberto Salinas, GBIC’s CEO. “Brownsville is emerging as a destination of choice for global companies seeking access, infrastructure, and a workforce ready to grow with them. GBIC’s role in this project reflects our commitment to creating the right conditions for transformative investment. We’re proud to have supported this opportunity, through strategic coordination and long-term planning.”

Brownsville Mayor John Cowen said Amazon’s announcement shows that his city is an economic powerhouse.

“Amazon’s decision to expand in Brownsville reinforces what we’ve long known, our City is an economic powerhouse in South Texas,” Cowen said. “This new delivery station represents more than just jobs and infrastructure. It’s about opportunity, access, and momentum. We’re proud to welcome Amazon and look forward to the positive impact this investment will bring to Brownsville and the surrounding communities.”

In its press release, GBIC says that since 2010, Amazon has created more than 86,000 full- and part-time jobs in Texas and invested more than $70 billion across the state, including infrastructure and compensation to our employees. These investments have contributed an additional $81 billion to the Texas economy and have helped create more than 171,000 indirect jobs on top of Amazon’s direct hires—from jobs in construction and logistics to professional services, GBIC points out. 

In addition, more than 39,000 independent sellers—most of which are small and medium sized businesses—in Texas are selling to customers in Amazon’s store, creating thousands of additional jobs across the state, the press release adds. 

In his posting on social media last Friday, Mendez said: “It’s official. Amazon has purchased about 13 acres on 511 with the intent of building a distribution center. I had been holding this news for about three weeks, but was told today by the attorney who handled the transaction that it is public information now. A few others posted the rumors, but I can confirm. Kudos to the GBIC team and (city) leadership for their work on this project.”

About the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) 

The Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation promotes economic growth in the southernmost region of Texas by empowering a young and skilled workforce and driving innovation to the area. It promotes economic growth by working with regional and international partners in the areas of job creation, training, innovation, and manufacturing.

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